The fast food favourite said it will only be giving out plastic straws and cup lids to customers when they ask for it.

The unprecedented move will come into effect on Monday.

It’s part of the company’s long-term plastic waste reduction initiative.

Earlier this year, the US powerhouse announced a series of new commitments to reduce plastic waste by the end of the year.

It also said it hopes to use recyclable packing in its 500 stores by 2025.

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CHANGES: Burger King has announced a major change affecting all UK stores

Key projects include the introduction of a smaller, lighter-weight and compostable drinking straw in restaurants nationwide in September 2018.

That will reportedly reduce the fast food brand’s total plastic output by 36% a year or approximately 29 metric tonnes.

But first, the chain is conducting a pilot test in 70 restaurants where straws and cup lids will only be given to customers when requested.

Burger King says a nationwide, permanent roll out before the end of the year might be implemented if this shows positive results.

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Fast food giant Burger King has been feeding hungry mouths since 1954

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A Red burger was unveiled in Tokyo in 2015

“We are firmly committed to making a real difference”

Burger King

“Packaging helps us to provide guests with the same great tasting, quality food that they expect from us, however we are aware of the negative impact that plastics in particular can have,” Burger King UK’s chief financial officer Tim Doubleday told Daily Star Online.

“We are firmly committed to making a real difference and increasing the recyclability of the materials we use, as well as helping our customers to dispose of packaging more responsibly.”

Burger King is the latest high-profile brand in the food and drink sector to announce plans to phase out single-use plastic straws from its restaurants as campaigners and politicians grow increasingly concerned about the damaging build-up of plastic waste in oceans.

Earlier this year, McDonald’s said it would replace its straws with paper alternatives and make them available only on request.

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TRIAL: Customers will now have to ask for a plastic straw or lid when they order a drink

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Meanwhile the likes of Costa, Wetherspoon and Nando’s have also agreed to phase-out plastic straw use in some shape or form.

The move to ban plastic straws has also been widespread in the hospitality sector, with pledges from corporates including Hilton, Hotel du Vin and AccorHotels, while London City Airport, Heathrow and Eurostar have followed suit in the mobility sector.

The Government proposed a ban on plastic straws and cotton buds in England in April.

It came after a series of David Attenborough programmes highlighted the problem of plastic in the sea.